The day the music died
by sethsduck17
Summary: seth took off on a sailboat. and returned 15 years later. will everthing be as he remembers? or has his world turned upside down?
1. Default Chapter

The waves lapped at the side of the boat as Seth Cohen grew closer to the landmass he called home. After fifteen years he still loved to sail, only now he got a bigger boat and this time, he didn't name it after Summer. He stood up, looked around and took a deep breath of air. He had traveled a good portion of the world, selling his comic series, but no matter where he went and how long he stayed there, it was never home. He was in England for two years and he loved it. He was in San Diego for about three years, making sure not to let anyone know how close he really was, and then decided to get away again. So this time he took his boat and set off to where ever the wind would take him. He ended up somewhere in Mexico and then after sailing for just about two months straight, somewhere near Australia. Out of all the places he loved it there the most; all the beaches, the temperatures, the girls in bikinis…after realizing what he loved about Australia was what he used to hate about Newport Beach he packed up and left again. Only this time he was going home. He jumped out of the boat and tied to the dock as he grabbed a few of his things and started for his old house. He hadn't talked to his parents, to Ryan…to anyone in fifteen years. He needed to get away, to start a new life. Somewhere where he wasn't Seth Cohen, Ryan Atwood's brother, Summer Roberts's boyfriend, the emo dorky kid. Now he was Seth Cohen, successful writer, seasoned traveler, respected by most…and lonely. Perhaps the reason he was there. He had missed Ryan like hell, especially since Ryan was like his wingman, but he didn't pick up the phone to call. Now standing at the door of this old house he looked at it and cocked his head. Was this a mistake? Did they even want to see him? Or did they already just write him off? Well there was only one way to find out.

"I don't care! Fuck you and fuck her too! I'm out of here ok? I can't take it anymore!" the blonde screamed as she threw open the door and stormed out, stopping suddenly seeing Seth who had his hand raised about to knock.

"Uhh…hi."

"Who are you and what are you selling? Oh right, I don't care," she snapped as she stalked to the car and got in.

"Elizabeth Marilyn! Get back inside this house right now!" a man bellowed as he stepped outside, obviously following the fleeing girl. Seeing the girl turn down the street in the car, he sighed and then punched the brick pillar in anger. "Fuck!" he yelled as he cradled his hand to his chest.

Seth backed up against the wall and turned, about to leave. This couldn't be his parents house anymore…who the hell were these people?

"Who are you?" the boy snapped as he looked at Seth.

"Uhh…I used to live here…" he replied hesitatingly. The last thing he wanted to do was make an ass out of himself in front of strangers. That era of his life was over, no more of doing that.

"Well we live here now. So bye," the kid said snottily as he walked back inside slamming the door. Seth sighed and turned to go but at the last minute turned back around and strode up to the door and actually knocked on it. Finally after a few minutes it opened to reveal a women.

"Hi," she said confused.

"Hi, my name's Seth Cohen. I used to live here…I was wondering if by any small chance if Sandy, Kirsten or Ryan Atwood still live here?" he said in a rush. The lady just gave him a weird look but let him in none the less.

"Hello?" a voice said as it walked into the hall looking for the visitor. Seth's face broke out into a broad grin. There he was, all grown up, and still the same person. Wifebeater and all…lord how Seth had missed his brother.

"Ryan," Seth said lowly.

The man stopped and turned to see the dark haired boy standing there in the foyer.

"Seth….?" He ventured as he walked closer.

Seth just kept his mouth shut looking at him, wondering if he thought he was someone else.

When the man didn't answer Ryan walked towards him apologizing. "Sorry, my brother used to look a lot like you. But he left a while back…keep thinking he's actually coming home," he said almost bitterly.

"And you thought I wouldn't or what?" Seth finally spoke up.

"Seth!" Ryan yelled as the two grown men embraced each other for a minute.

"Where the hell have you been! It's been what, fifteen years?" the sandy haired one of the duo suddenly exploded.

"I had to get out Ry. I couldn't take it…I mean you were having a hell of a time becoming a father, Summer didn't need me, my grandfather married Julie Cooper for Christ's sake…" he trailed off trying to get Ryan to understand.

"Fine. Whatever…but why didn't you call? I mean it's not hard!"

"I wasn't sure if you moved…or who lived here."

"Dad gave it to me in his will…." Ryan stopped abruptly as he said that avoiding Seth's stare.

"Dad's what!"

"No one knew where you were man…we thought you died somewhere too! He had a heart attack one morning and never came out of it….it was quick," Ryan recalled.

"When?" the brunette asked getting choked up.

"Three years ago."

Seth just nodded, crying. "It's cool," he muttered.

Ryan walked over to the boy that accepted him into his family and hugged him for a long time, both of them crying. Seth over the loss of his father, Ryan at the finding of his brother.

"Honey?" the women from earlier asked.

Ryan turned and looked at her. "Oh Rachel, this is Seth. Seth this is Rachel, my wife."

"Seth…your brother Seth?"

He nodded smiling. "He finally decided to make an appearance."

Seth nudged Ryan in the ribs and stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Rachel just smiled and replied in kind before making an excuse about needing to make dinner. As soon as she was out of earshot, Seth asked Ryan the ten million dollar question.

"What happened to Marissa? I thought you were two were married last I heard."

Ryan avoided his gaze and stared at the floor. "Yeah…." He muttered.

"What happened?"

"Life…got the best of her," Ryan said slowly trying to find the right words. Seth didn't say anything and just looked at him, waiting for the rest to be said.

"She started drinking again. It was fine, I mean it wasn't that bad. But apparently she was unhappy or something because a couple of years ago I walked into the bedroom and she was there. On the curtain rod," he said softly, tears pooling in his eyes.

"What!" Seth exclaimed. The blonde just nodded, not speaking.

Seth could hardly believe it. Marissa Cooper, the girl that he lived next door to for most of his life, killed herself! He had no idea…he wished that he had known, that he had been here…then maybe just maybe…oh who was he kidding? Like he could really talk Marissa out of ending her life. The two were close but not as close as say Summer and Marissa who could talk to each other about anything and listen when needed. Now this girl that grew to become something like a sister to him was gone. And he had no idea until today.


	2. The Girls

Ch 2-The Girls

Seth sat and looked at his plate, waiting for his mother to show up. He hadn't directly spoken to her, no. He had wanted to surprise everyone so he had Ryan call instead and said to meet _him_ for lunch. Hopefully the middle-aged women wouldn't pass out when she saw Seth instead of her pseudo-son there. He glanced around and saw her entering. The waiter pointed her in the general direction and she smiled her thanks.

The years of pain and worry over her son had taken a small toll on the women. If anything, she just dove into more activities to keep her mind on anything but Seth. Sandy's death is what made her hit rock bottom. She stopped dressing up in the latest fashions and even let her hair go without highlights. After thirty-five years of marriage, she saw no reason to look spectacular anymore. Sandy was her everything…and now her everything was gone.

"Excuse me…" she said softly to the man whose head was bent over the plate. "I'm meeting someone here for lunch and-"

Seth suddenly looked up. "I know," he whispered.

Kirsten's eyes grew wide with shock, than horror, surprise, happiness, and back to shock.

"Mom?" he asked, seeing her lose her balance. She grabbed hold of the chair, the whole time her eyes never leaving her son.

"Seth?" she finally got out. "Is that you?"

He nodded silently.

"How…why…I thought you…" she trailed off starting to get that lost look in her eyes.

"It's ok, I'm ok," he told her getting up and gently hugging the women. His mother reciprocated the hug stiffly at first and then just collapsed.

"Mom? Kirsten?" Seth asked concerned by the women's dead weight. He moved her gently and sighed with a small smile on his face. Kirsten Cohen had fainted.

888

The two men stood next to each other and looked at their mother, still passed out.

"That's great. I make my own mother pass out when she sees me," Seth grumbled.

"Welcome home," Ryan joked as he clapped him on the back.

The doorbell rang and Ryan went to go answer it. All Seth heard was a women crying and Ryan trying to shush her. He moved a little closer so he could hear his brothers hushed tones.

"It's just not the best time right now." There was a pause and then a gasp. "What the fuck?" he yelled.

Seth ran out at that point, Ryan didn't usually yelled unless provoked…so this had to be something good. Seth skidded into the foyer and saw his brother tightly clutching a dark haired women who was sobbing in his arms. The women hesitantly glanced up at the sound of his arrival. There was no mistaking whose beautiful brown eyes they were The only thing that was off was that brown eyes were red rimmed and full of tears. The Summer Roberts he had known had never cried, at least he'd never seen her. Her eyes widened in shock and she went to pull away, but Seth, sensing he had interrupted a private moment, retreated.

"I'm gonna kill him," Ryan seethed as he let go.

"Ryan, no!" she cried. "This…was just a one time thing," she weezled.

"Once is one too many," he retorted looking away.

"Promise me," she demanded. If Ryan Atwood claimed he was going to kill a person, she wouldn't doubt him. She had seen him in action and it just wasn't pretty.

"Summer, do you know what you're asking me to do?" he finally asked quietly.

"I know…and I'm sorry ok? Just-"

"I promise," he replied cutting in. Never in his life had Ryan made a promise such as this. It went against all his judgment, but she had to have a good reason for it. And knowing Summer, it would be a good one.

888

Ten minutes later Ryan walked back into the den where Seth sat and Kirsten was gone.

"Bathroom," he nodded sensing the question that was about to come. "So…who was the door?" he asked offhand.

"No one," Ryan lied looking at Seth. He knew Seth had seen her, it was obvious but unsaid. Seth just nodded his head and got up as the bathroom door opened.

"I'm just gonna…take her home," he said gesturing offhand to his mother.

"I got her."

"No. We have a lot of catching up to do. I haven't talked to her in fifteen years…it's time to talk," he replied walking out the door.

Ryan sighed as the door closed. He wasn't stupid, he knew where Seth was going; he just hoped he was prepared for it.

888

Seth sat in his car and looked up at the two story house before him and sighed. He got out slowly and went up and knocked on the door. After a minute or two, the door was opened.

"Seth," she said. It wasn't a question nor an exclamation. It was as if she knew he would go there and wasn't surprised to see her former love.

"Summer," he smiled.

As she opened the door to let him in through and stepped into the light, he gasped.


	3. Explosions

a/n: wow it's been a while since I updated this! I couldn't think of any ideas…I think the two hour special must have helped me last night. Lol. So here y'all go….r&r! let me know what you think…ideas….w/e. -nic

Chapter 3- Explosions

"Seth don't ok?" Summer said as she drew away from his hand.

"What happened?" he whispered.

She shook her head. "Don't worry about it, it was nothing…"

He scoffed at her reply. "That's not nothing! Summer your face looks like a finger paining I did when I was four!"

Summer rolled her eyes and started to walk away.

"So…" he trailed off following her inside. She didn't say anything to him as they reached the kitchen. She got out some tea, slammed the cabinet and looked back at him as she leaned against the counter.

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see you…"

"Newport, Seth. Why did you did you come back here?"

He shrugged. "Time to come home."

"That's sweet Cohen. Real sweet. You just _decided_ to make an appearance now?"

Seth wasn't following her. "What are you talking about?"

"You took off on a sailboat Seth! After two years we thought you were dead! Now you think you can just waltz back in and think everything will be the same?" she exploded.

"Summer…"

"No! Do you know the hell you put us all through? Good Lord Cohen I hope you feel damn special!" she said slamming a coffee cup down on the counter. He winced at the force of her putting the object down and backed up a little. He remembered those rage blackouts a little too well.

"I just wanted to say I was sorry," he said softly. "I never meant to hurt you Sum. I just had to get out…"

"And you couldn't pick up a phone? I thought you were slow yeah but retarded never entered my mind…" she shot back.

He sighed. "I'll just go ok? It's obvious this was a mistake," he said turning to go.

"I think you better!" she replied. When he was halfway out of the kitchen however she thought better of herself. Cohen might be an asshole yes but he was still the one person that knew her better than anyone else. Before she could stop herself she found herself saying, "I married Zach you know."

He stopped. "Water polo boy?" he said with a hint of distaste.

She shook her head. He looked back at her and saw tears in her eyes. "Did he do that to you?"

"No! He would never! I mean he loves me…."

Seth just nodded. Even if she didn't want to admit it, the answer was there. And the answer was yes.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

As the screen door shut behind him, Summer collapsed on the couch in a fit of tears. After fifteen years of no letters, thinking he was dead, he shows up out of nowhere! She was married now…she was happy. At least she used to be… A door slammed in the driveway and Summer shot up anxiously. She wiped her eyes and ran to the kitchen and poured herself some tea and sat down at the table with a magazine just as the door opened.

"Summer?" a voice called.

So far so good….he sounded as if he was in a decent mood today…

"In here!" she called out trying to sound cheerful.

He walked in with a bouquet of flowers. "Hey baby," he said as he walked over and kissed her.

"Hi," she greeted him. "What are you doing home so early?"

He shrugged. "I just decided to take the day off and spend it with you."

She nodded. "Why, did you have plans?" he cocked his head at her.

"No! Nothing that I know of," she forced a smile on her face.

"Good."

She swallowed hard. "Actually tonight though I was going to go out with Ryan…"

"No."

"Zach come on. We go way back and-"

"I said no," he said firmly.

She shut her mouth and didn't say anything.

"I'm so tired of hearing about Ryan. Ryan this and Ryan that. Are you sure you're not having an affair with him?" Zach accused watching his wife's face.

"What! No, I would never! He's married…he has kids!"

He shrugged. "Like that matters. The truth is Summer, I think you're bullshitting me," he said calmly as he stood up.

Her mind raced as her eyes followed him. It was times like this when he got mad and then calm all the sudden that the worse always happened.

"Zach! I would never lie to you!" she defended herself.

He snorted. "You also said you stopped going to see Ryan…" he said.

"I have!"

"Then explain today."

"What?"

"Today…I know you were over there."

Her eyes grew wide and a lump in her throat formed. "You had me followed?"

He chuckled and her blood ran cold. "No. I followed you. I saw that nice little embrace that you had…" he said bitterly as he drew closer to her.

"Zach I swear!"

"Your words are shit," he muttered as he raised his hand and brought it down to her face.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Ryan got out of his car and started to walk along the beach. He hadn't heard from Seth since he took off earlier that morning. And if he knew his brother, he would be here. Sure enough, in the middle of the beach he was sitting there by himself, just looking out into the ocean. Some things never change…

"I shouldn't have left," he said softly as Ryan approached.

Ryan shrugged. "You did what you thought you had to do. It was wrong yeah, but what's done is done."

Seth just looked up at him. "Marissa died, Dad died, Summer married Zach and he paints her face like I used to finger paint," he said bitterly.

"What?" Ryan said not getting the last part.

"He beats her Ryan! Ok? And if I stayed here, it never would have happened."

Ryan sat down on the beach next to his brother. "You can't blame yourself for this. Zach wasn't like that until after they married. Even I didn't see it."

Seth just shook his head. "If I stayed she never would have gotten with him in the first place…"

"Who's to say that you would have stayed together forever?" Ryan asked quizzically.

"I'm just saying Ryan-"

"And I'm just saying that it wasn't your fault Seth," Ryan said, making his voice louder than Seth's.

Seth just grew quiet. "Everything is just so different," he mumbled.

The blonde nodded his head. "That I will agree with you on." The boys sat in comfortable silence for a little while just staring out at the ocean.

"Hey I thought you had plans tonight," Seth brought up suddenly.

"I was supposed to go out with Summer but she called to cancel. Which means Zach found out. Which means she said no to remain alive," he said bitterly.

"I'm surprised he's still alive with you knowing," Seth remarked.

Ryan just shrugged in the night air. "She told me not to do anything. And you don't know how hard it is… But I'm not going to be another guy to let her down."

Seth just looked at him. "Thanks Ry. Thanks."

"I didn't mean that…"

His brother just rolled his eyes and looked out at the water again. Ryan's phone went off and he answered it.

"Hello?"

a/n: ok so I know that Zach wasn't in the picture at the time that Seth sailed off but I just can't stand him so I had to make him the villain. And I might incorporate some other things from the second season as well…just an FYI.


End file.
